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Help for Kharkiv 🇺🇦
3 years ago
Is there anyone in the portion of the Ukrainian Kharkiv oblast that has just changed control (from Russian🇷🇺 military to Ukraine🇺🇦) that needs help or needs to flee to a safer region?
In a surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive, large parts of Kharkiv oblast in eastern Ukraine that have been under the control of the Russian military and Putin's government in the Kremlin for almost half a year have apparently very recently returned to the control of the Ukrainian military and the government in Kyiv. While it is far too soon to determine what the new military situation will be in eastern Ukraine and where the new 'front line' will be, it seems that Ukraine may soon control most of Kharkiv oblast west of the Oskil river except for possibly a narrow strip along the internationally recognized border between Ukraine and Russia that may still be occupied by the Russian military. The sudden Russian military retreat from territory that is internationally recognized as being part of Ukraine has been described as disorderly and panicked. It is currently uncertain how far east of the Oskil river may end up under the control of Ukraine when this current counteroffensive is finished (the far eastern portion of the Kharkiv oblast and the rural northern portion of the Luhansk oblast, north of the major population centers like Lysychansk, Severodonetsk, Alchevsk, and Luhansk), for instance Ukrainian military’s general staff said that Russian forces had abandoned the town of Svatove in Luhansk region.
This situation is fast moving. Sometimes there are gaps where individual help can be more effective than organized government efforts or the big humanitarian aid organizations.
Are there any FA members who live (or lived) in this region or who have family members in the region who may need help evacuating to safety?
SkrymeR1 could use some help to support a family member who lives in the region that just changed control - see here
JudasyFox is offering a YCH to benefit Ukrainians in the region that just changed control -- see https://www.furaffinity.net/view/48974341/
ArlequinLunaire has posted info on volunteers who are helping Izyum, see https://www.furaffinity.net/view/49491795/ -- Help for IzyumLinks to the six Ukraine regional focus Journals:
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10264842/ -- Kyiv region Ukraine artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10246683/ -- NE & East-Center Ukraine artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10225029/ -- Kharkiv/Kharkov region artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity <-- some FA members in the region
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10203165/ -- Donbas/Donbass region artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10230885/ -- Southern Ukraine region artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10255501/ -- Central & Western Ukraine artists, furries, and stories on FurAffinity
Here are some links to things posted by FA members (Journals, artwork) that mention the current situation (or the fallout or the Russian military's reprisal attacks across Ukraine, including missile attacks and widespread electricity blackouts):
https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/10326930/ -- News 11.09 by
Carota17Here are some of the Ukrainian population centers (cities, towns, villages) that are now reported to no longer be occupied by the Russian military:
(the situation is still rapidly changing and there are apparently over
Vovchansk -- population ~18k, a Ukrainian town just 3 kilometers from Russia that was on a major supply route
Ternova -- population <1k
Velikiy Burluk -- population ~3700, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velykyi_Burluk
Dvorchina (as of 12 Sept)
Artemivka
Vasylenkove
Chkalovsk -- population ~3700, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chkalovske
Shevchenkove -- population ~7000, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shevc.....Kharkiv_Oblast
Kupyansk -- population ~27k, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kupiansk (once 3ʳᵈ largest city in Kharkiv oblast)
Senkove
Balakliya -- population ~27k, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balakliia
Izyum -- population ~46k, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izium (one of the largest cities in Kharkiv oblast... before about 80% of it was destroyed)
Here is an assortment of international news headlines and links about the ongoing 'military situation' in Kharkiv oblast:
(I tried to include an assortment of news articles from different countries and across the political spectrum)
(part of the reason I included all of these is for the benefit of anyone who does not have access to international news sources or does not look at them)
https://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-brea.....085348059.html
"Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that troops would be regrouped from the Balakliya and Izyum areas to Ukraine's tern Donetsk region. Izyum was a major base for Russian forces in the Kharkiv region and earlier this week social media videos showed residents of Balakliya joyfully cheering as Ukrainian troops moved in. Konashenkov said the Russian move is being made “in order to achieve the stated goals of the special military operation to liberate Donbas,’” one of the eastern Ukraine regions that Russia has declared sovereign. The claim of pullback to concentrate on Donetsk is similar to the justification Russia gave for pulling back its forces from the Kyiv region earlier this year when they failed to take the Ukrainian capital."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/l.....utin-zelenskiy
"The Russian ministry of defence has confirmed the retreat of Russian forces from Izyum and Balakliya. In a statement published by state media outlet RIA Novosti, the ministry claimed a decision had been made to “regroup the Russian troops stationed in the Balakliya and Izyum regions” and “step up efforts in Donetsk” so as to “achieve the stated goals of the special military operation” and “liberate” the Donbass. It also claimed that a number of “distraction and demonstration events” had been staged in order to conceal the “real actions of the troops” and allow the withdrawal.
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/10/1122.....llback-kharkiv
Russian forces withdraw from the Kharkiv region amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive
While Russia's Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin have not officially acknowledged the counteroffensive, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov confirmed that Moscow's forces withdrew for the city of Izium — a key regional transportation and supply hub for the Russian military in Ukraine's east. "... to liberate Donbas it was decided to regroup the Russian troops in the area of Balakliya and Izium to scale up efforts in Donetsk direction," Konashenkov said in a video, even as Russian state media reporters on the ground insisted the move was taken to avoid a rout by Ukrainian forces.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/live.....ne-live-news-2
-- "Zelenskyy’s chief of staff has published a photograph showing Ukrainian forces on the outskirts of the town of Izyum which has been a stronghold for Russian forces for months."
-- "Russian-installed Kharkiv administrator urges full evacuation: TASS. The Russian-installed chief administrator of Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region has recommended that all its inhabitants evacuate to Russia “to save lives”, according to the Russian state-run TASS news agency. He said official representatives were ready to provide the refugees with food, heat and medical care, according to TASS."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEpUWLgo164 <-- 3 minute Al Jazeera report
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022.....uble-offensive
-- "Analysis: Russia caught out by Ukraine’s double offensive. Ukrainian forces continue to retake territory in the Kharkiv region as Russians reportedly abandon key cities of Kupyansk and Izyum."
https://tass.com/defense/1505807 -- Forces regrouped at Balakleya, Izyum, redeployed to DPR, says Russian Defense Ministry
According to the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, for that purpose, an operation of reorganizing and redeploying the Izyum-Balakleya grouping to the Donetsk People’s Republic
MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/. The Russian troops stationed at Balakleya and Izyum have been regrouped and redeployed to the Donetsk direction in order to step up efforts there, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Saturday.
"In order to achieve the declared goals of the special military operation for the liberation of Donbass, it was decided to regroup the Russian forces stationed near Balakleya and Izyum to boost efforts in the Donetsk direction," Konashenkov said.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, for that purpose, an operation of reorganizing and redeploying the Izyum-Balakleya grouping to the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has been carried out in the past three days. Simultaneously, distractive and demonstration activates indicating troops’ real actions were taken.
"A powerful fire attack, with the air force, missile and artillery troops engaged, was conducted against the enemy to prevent harm to Russian troops," he added.
On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing Russian troops’ redeployment to the Kharkov direction. Footage features a military convoy consisting of BTR-82A armored personnel carriers and D-20 towed gun-howitzers. Besides the Z and V symbols, a new symbol - a circle inscribed in a triangle - painted on military vehicles can be seen in the video.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-new.....042e645d74887e
"Mayor of Izium: City "liberated" from Russians"
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl.....at/ar-AA11GjAX
"Ukraine Takes Back Control of Key City, Forcing Humiliating Russian Retreat"
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl.....te/ar-AA11IaQj
"The Russian Army Is Losing A Battalion Every Day As Ukrainian Counterattacks Accelerate"
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022.....events-day-200
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022.....ack-in-ukraine
"Putin ally Kadyrov criticises Russian army after Ukraine setback" In a Telegram message, Chechen leader and Putin ally dismisses the loss of Izyum, but concedes the campaign is not going to plan.
https://www.ft.com/war-in-ukraine
https://www.ft.com/content/84ff2893.....3-f8fd10c99eca
"Ukraine’s Reznikov warns on Russian counter-attack -- Defence minister says Kyiv needs to secure territory after lightning offensive went ‘better than expected’"
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-.....9251662919495/
"Ukrainian troops continue gains, recapture Chkalovske as Russians criticize retreat"
https://understandingwar.org/
https://understandingwar.org/backgr.....nt-september-7 <-- first ISW report to mention the Kharkiv counteroffensive
"Ukrainian forces in southeastern Kharkiv Oblast are likely exploiting Russian force reallocation to the Southern Axis to conduct an opportunistic yet highly effective counteroffensive northwest of Izyum. Ukrainian forces likely used tactical surprise to advance at least 20km into Russian-held territory in eastern Kharkiv Oblast on September 7, recapturing approximately 400 square kilometers of ground."
https://understandingwar.org/backgr.....nt-september-8
"Ukrainian successes on the Kharkiv City-Izyum line are creating fissures within the Russian information space and eroding confidence in Russian command to a degree not seen since a failed Russian river crossing in mid-May. Ukrainian military officials announced that Ukrainian forces advanced 50km deep into Russian defensive positions north of Izyum on September 8, but the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) notably did not issue any statement regarding Ukrainian advances in Kharkiv Oblast."
https://understandingwar.org/backgr.....nt-september-9
"Ukrainian forces have captured an estimated 2,500 square kilometers in Kharkiv Oblast in the Kharkiv area counteroffensive as of September 9. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhnyi stated on September 8 that Ukrainian forces liberated over 1,000 square kilometers between September 1-8 – a day before Ukrainian forces reached the southern approach to Kupyansk and the Oskil River on September 9. Ukrainian forces are likely clearing pockets of disorganized Russian forces caught in the rapid Ukrainian advance to Kupyansk, Izyum, and the Oskil River, given the influx of observed pictures of Russian prisoners of war in the past 48 hours."
https://understandingwar.org/backgr.....t-september-10
"The Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast is routing Russian forces and collapsing Russia’s northern Donbas axis. Russian forces are not conducting a controlled withdrawal and are hurriedly fleeing southeastern Kharkiv Oblast to escape encirclement around Izyum. Russian forces have previously weakened the northern Donbas axis by redeploying units from this area to Southern Ukraine, complicating efforts to slow the Ukrainian advance or at minimum deploy a covering force for the retreat."
https://understandingwar.org/backgr.....t-september-11 <-- well worth reading about the Kharkiv counteroffensive
"Ukrainian forces have inflicted a major operational defeat on Russia, recapturing almost all Kharkiv Oblast in a rapid counter-offensive...
The Ukrainian recapture of Izyum ended the prospect that Russia could accomplish its stated objectives in Donetsk Oblast...
The Ukrainian pressure in Kherson combined with the rapid counter-offensive in Kharkiv presents the Russians with a terrible dilemma of time and space...
The current counter-offensive will not end the war...
Ukraine has turned the tide of this war in its favor...
The Russian defeat in the Battle of Kharkiv Oblast will only intensify public criticism of [Russian Defense Minister Sergey] Shoigu and the MoD, which may lead to personnel changes...
Russian forces conducted a wave of precision strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on September 11 causing widespread power outages..."
-- The Russian Ministry of Defense’s September 11 briefing map confirmed that Russian forces are withdrawing from settlements around Kharkiv City, from northern Kharkiv Oblast, and settlements on the western bank of the Oskil River. Geolocated and social media footage confirmed that Ukrainian forces have entered Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk... and have reached the international border north of Kharkiv City. Geolocated footage also shows that Ukrainian forces took control of Izyum and settlements south and southwest on September 11.
https://publish.twitter.com/?query=.....p;widget=Tweet
"NEW: #Ukraine has decisively won the Battle of #Kharkiv Oblast, TheStudyofWar can assess, recovering its territory northwest, north, and northeast of the city and ending the Russian ground & artillery threat to Ukraine’s second-largest city." <-- WOW, I think we will see more details and confirmation in the next few days as things stabilize and the 'fog of war' dissipates.
...
Followup (18 Sept): there is a nice analysis of the Kharkiv offensive at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B93tLs39pQo
Slava Ukrajini!